These swatches were all applied with a synthetic brush and no primer.  These pictures were taken without flash.

L to R top row: Painterly p/p, Girlfriendly p/p, Coral Crepe p/p, Fresco Rose p/p, Quite Natural p/p, Benefit Skinny Jeans cream e/s, Delft p/p, MUFE Flash Color No.3, Blackground p/p

L to R bottom row: Bare Study p/p, Benefit RSVP cream e/s, Kryolan White Aquacolor, Kryolan Iridescent Plum Aquacolor

I realized after I started posting this that I had left out one of my browns, Constructivist paint pot, so I swatched it with the rest of my browns and took another picture.

L to R: Constructivist p/p, Quite Natural p/p, Benefit Skinny Jeans cream e/s, Blackground p/p

So here’s some closeups of the swatches.

L to R: Painterly p/p, Girlfriendly p/p, Coral Crepe p/p, Fresco Rose p/p, Quite Natural p/p

• Painterly p/p: Painterly is my go to base and it’s probably easy to see why – it’s very close to my skintone so it will work with any color eyeshadow and because it’s matte and very opaque, it does a good job of concealing darkness/redness on eyelids as well.  Nice smooth texture.

• Girlfriendly p/p: This was a limited edition product (I hate when they do that!).  It’s a matte, dusty pink that would work well with pinks, burgundies, purples, and even browns.  The texture is identical to Painterly.  I don’t reach for this often but I should.

• Coral Crepe p/p: Coral Crepe is a satin-y bright coral.  It looks great under oranges and corals (of course) and brightens up browns as well.  The color is a bit sheer.  Unfortunately this was a limited edition as well, which makes no sense to me – this is definitely a color that is missing in MAC’s permanent line.

• Fresco Rose p/p: This is a light pink shade with a soft shimmer.  Truthfully I don’t think I’ve used it but once or twice – it’s almost identical to Girl Friendly but has the added shimmer.

• Quite Natural p/p: Quite natural is a very matte brown.  The texture is a bit difficult to blend as you can see in the swatch – it gets a little clumpy and isn’t easy to smooth out.  This could be used on brows as well.

• Constructivist p/p: One of my most used and loved paint pots.  This is a pearly brown (not shimmery, but pearly) with a nice smooth texture that blends out great.  I use it as a base for smokey brown eyes or shimmery browns.

L to R: Benefit Skinny Jeans cream e/s, Delft p/p, MUFE Flash Color No. 3, Blackground p/p

• Benefit Skinny Jeans Creaseless Cream e/s: By far, my favorite cream eyeshadow… Skinny Jeans is a silver brown color with multi-colored shimmer.  It look great with browns, silvers/grays, black.  It also looks fantastic by itself, blended out.  The texture of this is amazing – super creamy and easy to blend.

• Delft p/p: Delft is a dark blue with silver shimmer.  I find it to be a bit sheer because I can see my skin color showing through, but otherwise it’s a good base for blues, greens, and even purples.

• MUFE Flash Color No. 3: This silver flash color from MUFE is very creamy, very metallic, and very opaque.  However, it is not a good base for keeping your eyeshadow on and tends to slide around.  This product is better suited for special occasions, Halloween, or New Years when you’re looking for something to stick your glitter on to.  That said, if you can find an effective way to keep this product from creasing, it literally looks like liquid silver on the skin.  Amazing!

• Blackground p/p: Blackground is a creamy black base with multi-colored shimmer.  It’s more blue-black than true-black, which is apparent when it’s blended out, so if you’re looking for something very very dark, this might not be the best color.  This is an all-around good base for smokey eyes.

L to R: Barestudy p/p, Benefit RSVP cream e/s, Kryolan White Aquacolor, Kryolan Iridescent Plum Aquacolor

• Barestudy p/p: Barestudy is a beige/champagne color with shimmer.  I really do not like the texture of the product once it’s on my lid and so don’t use it often.  This is a great base for golds and neutrals that have shimmer.  Some people like to use this as their everyday base, but I don’t like it for two reasons – it has color, and it’s not matte, so it’s going to interfere with the color of the shadow that’s being applied on top of it.

• Benefit RSVP Creaseless cream e/s: This is another champagne color similar to Barestudy, but far superior in terms of texture.  Benefit’s cream eyeshadows are really amazing products.

• Kryolan White Aquacolor: Aquacolors are water-activated and this white one is a great base for bright colors, true opaque whites, or any shade that you need a white base to show its true color (for example, turquoises can look muddy when they’re applied directly to your skin, but they look bright and exactly like they do in the pan when they’re applied on a white base).

• Kryolan Iridescent Plum Aquacolor: Iridescent Plum is a gorgeous, blue violet with iridescent shimmer.  This is a great base for purples or blues.  These Aquacolors have a great consistency and blend nicely.

On this one I was just messing around, and I tried smokey eyes different ways on each eye.

On this one I was just messing around, and I tried smokey eyes different ways on each eye.

I definitely like this side better.

Nude matte browns…

This look used only two pigments: Sunpepper and Provence.

Blue-eyed girls, this pigment is calling your name!

Smokey grey eye and some bad skin

Cut-crease…

I think this is probably the best cut crease I’ve ever done.  I got a lot of compliments on it and I was really happy with how it turned out!

At $6.50, it’s priced affordably.  It’s definetly sleek and sexy looking.  All of my pencils should fit in either of the ends perfectly.  And because it’s MAC, it should be awesome.  This story should have a totally happy ending, right?

Wrong.

So first of all this sharpener is made out of the cheapest, thinnest plastic.  It just feels like it’s going to break.  I guess that is entirely a subjective thing, but I really don’t want any of my products, even something like a pencil sharpener, to feel that it is so fragile that I could snap it by clenching my fingers too tight.  The entire sharpener is 3 parts – the large sharpener at one end, the small sharpener at the other, and the clear part in the middle to separate them and store the shavings.  This is a nice idea…  But unfortunately the sharpeners don’t screw into the clear plastic center, they merely press on tight.  And I’m using that word tight very lightly; I’m constantly pulling one end off by accident and then the shavings end up everywhere.

Besides just the sloppy design flaws, my biggest issue overall is with the sharpeners themselves.  When you sharpen your pencils, you want them to come out looking similar to what they where when you first bought them, perhaps a tad sharper.  The best way I could describe how your pencils are going to come out is…  Well, do you remember sharpening your wooden No. 2′s back in the day?  Those traditional pencil sharpeners gave you a long point with lots of exposed lead, which is very good when you’re writing with a pencil -  but it’s terrible when you’re using it for makeup.  This sharpener eats up a ton of your pencil in the process, and unfortunately, you don’t end up with a precise tip, but a long tip with product that will break off very easily.  The blade also continues to cut into the product while you sharpen, further weakening the tip.  Oh and by the way, it completely mutilated – but didn’t in the least bit sharpen – my NYX Jumbo Pencil.

Look at how nasty these tips look!

In conclusion I guess I would have to say I just really, REALLY do not recommend buying this sharpener from MAC.  In my experience, my pencils look chewed up, the tips break, and I’m not getting any kind of smooth, sharp pencil tip that’s useful for makeup.  So I’m back to my search for a good sharpener.  I don’t know if I’ll be heading back to the drug store, but I’ll definitely be doing more research this time!

Face:

• Benefit Erase Paste in Fair under eyes
• Amazing Cosmetics concealer in fair on blemishes
• OCC Skin Foundation in Y1
• OCC Blush in Hush
• OCC Crush to contour
• OCC Lustre Highlighter
• MAC Prep and Prime Powder
• By Candelight MSF

Eyes:

• TFSI
• Painterly p/p
• Brule e/s on lid
• Shroom e/s on center of lid
• Soft Brown e/s in crease
• By Candelight MSF on browbone
• Naked Lunch e/s on inner corner
• Fascinating Eye Kohl on waterline
• Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes waterproof mascara
• Omega e/s on brows

Lips:

• Long Stem Rose Slimshine l/s

Face:

• Benefit Erase Paste Concealer in Fair under eyes
• Amazing Concealer in Fair on blemishes
• MUFE HD Foundation in 110
• MAC Prep & Prime Powder
• Emote Blush to contour
• Illamasqua Blush in Unrequited
• By Candelight MSF

Eyes:

• TFSI
• Painterly p/p
• Amberlights e/s
• Mulch e/s
• Embark e/s
• Soft Brown e/s
• Blanc Type e/s
• Nylon e/s
• Smolder Eye Kohl
• Stila 24 Hour Liquid Liner in Black
• MUFE Smoky Lash mascara

Lips:

• Hot Gossip l/s
• Love Nectar l/g

1)How many times do you wash your face daily?
I use Murad Clarifying Cleanser twice a day, and I precleanse my skin at night with Boscia’s Makeup Breakup Cleansing Oil to remove my makeup.

2)What skin type do you have?
Dry with a moderately oil tzone!

3)What is your current facial wash?
Oops I said this earlier!  Murad Clarifying Cleanser

4)Do you exfoliate?
Yes!  I think it’s important to smooth out my skin once or twice a week – however I prefer smooth microscrubs like Dr. Brandt Microexfoliating Cream to scratchy, large particled products.

5)What brand do you use?
Dr. Brandt Microexfolating Cream

6)What moisturizer do you use?
Dermalogica Active Moist

7)Do you have freckles?
Yes

8)Do you use eye cream?
Yes – I use it everyday.  I use Kinerase C8 Peptide Eye and Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Firm

9)Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
Unfortunately yes – I’m hitting my adolescence in my mid-twenties apparently…

10)Did you ever have to use Pro-Activ?
No

Make-up

11)What foundation do you use?
Depending on my mood/the look I’m going for, Make Up For Ever HD Foundation, OCD Airbrush Foundation, or Make Up For Ever Matte Velvet Foundation

12)How about concealer?
Benefit Erase Paste under my eyes and Amazing Cosmetics Concealer on blemishes

13)Do you know your undertone color?
I’m neutral – I can wear pink or yellow tones (as long as they are not ORANGE!)

14)What do you think of fake eyelashes?
I love them but wish I was better at application!

15)Did you know you were supposed to change your mascara every 3 months?
Yea!

16)What brand of mascara do you use?
Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash – it is AMAZING and I haven’t used anything else since I tried it!
17)Sephora or Mac?
I like having the option of both but I find myself gravitating towards Sephora more often these days

18)Do you have a Mac Pro card?
Yes

19)What makeup tools do you use in makeup application?
I use MAC brushes and a few good dupes that I got from Coastal Scents

20)Do you use makeup base/primer for the eyes?
I normally use two – Too Faced Shadow Insurance and a MAC Paintpot

21)For the face?
I use Dermalogica Oil Control Lotion to prime my skin

22)What is your favourite eyeshadow?colour or shade?
Favorite???  How do you choose?  I would probably say that my MAC Satin Taupe is one of my favorites because it’s so easy to pop on and get a great look everytime.

23)Do you use pencil or liquid liner?
Liquid liner on the upper lashes and pencil on the lower lashline and waterline.

24)How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
Haven’t we all?  Isn’t that one of the supreme joys of applying makeup?

25)What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?
Pigment eyeshadows?  Is this supposed to mean loose pigments?  If so, I do have quite a few but they don’t get a lot of use – I’m not sure why – maybe I’m’ just too lazy to open that drawer and maybe they do take a bit more effort to work into a look.

26)Do you use mineral makeup?
I have but I don’t feel they have enough coverage

27)What is your favourite lipstick?
MAC Nude Pink, Viva Glam Gaga, and Blankety

28?How about lipgloss?
Not a huge gloss girl…

29)What is your favourite blush to use?
MAC Instant Chic or Melba

30)Do you buy your makeup on Ebay?
I have bought some limited edition items there but I don’t make a habit of it

31)Do you like drugstore makeup?
No.

32)Do you go to CCO’s?Cosmetic Company Outlet?
I have never been but I would like to!

33)Did you ever consider taking makeup classes?
Yes I have considered it.

34)Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?
No I wouldn’t say that… I’m probably more meticulous at my makeup application than anything else I do.

35)Name a makeup crime that you hate?
Orangey overdosed bronzer, under eye concealer that is five shades lighter than the rest of the face, and pencil eyeliner that is weirdly placed only on the lower lash line!

36)Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick or eyeshadow) or neutral ones?
I do mainly neutral looks, but I try to switch it up!  And bright lipstick of course.

37)Which celebrity always has great makeup?
Kim Kardashian

38)If you could leave the house using just ONE makeup item, what would you use?
Omg, ONE item??  I guess I would choose foundation.

39)Could you leave the house without any makeup on?
I really don’t – I just don’t feel confident unless I have at least minimal makeup (tinted moisturizer, eyebrows, mascara).

40)Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?
I don’t think I look like a monster but I definitely prefer to be out with something on

41)In your opinion what is the BEST makeup line?
Make Up For Ever and MAC

42)What do you think of makeup?
I think it’s a form of art – and something that has changed my life and allowed me to express myself daily.  I think makeup can make you feel confident and beautiful on the worst days and completely transform your look.

Face:

• Tarte Primer
• Amazing Cosmetics concealer in Fair
• OCC Skin Airbrush Foundation in Y1
• Blot Powder in Medium
• Prism blush for contour
• Melba blush
• MSF in Soft and Gentle

Eyes:

• TFSI
• Painterly p/p
• Blanc Type e/s
• Satin Taupe e/s
• UD Perversion e/s
• UD Sellout e/s
• Ben Nye cake liner in black
• Fascinating Eye Kohl
• MUFE Smokey Lash
• Omega and Espresso e/s on brows

Nothing on lips atm…

Warning – I do not have the prettiest hands or nails, and this is my first go at nail swatching pictures (and of course I chose a difficult to photograph polish) – so you have been forewarned!

A good close up shot of the holo effect

Face:

• Tarte Face Primer
• MUFE HD Foundation #110
• Benefit Erase Paste
• MAC Blot Powder in Medium
• Benefit Dallas Blush
• MAC Warmed MSF
• MAC New Vegas MSF

Eyes:

• TFSI
• Painterly p/p
• Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy
• Sugarpill Absinthe Chromalust on lid
• Sugarpill Tako e/s on inner corner
• Aquadisiac e/s in crease
• Bottle Green e/s on outer corner/crease
• Soft Brown e/s for blending
• Ricepaper e/s under brow
• On lower lashline: Sugarpill Lumi, Absinthe, and Bottle Green over NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Horseradish
• Fascinating Eye Kohl in waterline
• Stila 24 Hour Liquid Liner on upper lashline
• MUFE Smoky Lash mascara
• Omega e/s on brows

Lips:

• Love Nectar l/g

Sorry for the terrible iphone pics by the way!